Top Related Projects
A source-available invoice, quote, project and time-tracking app built with Laravel
Online Accounting Software
A self-hosted open source application for managing your invoices, clients and payments.
ERP beyond your fridge - Grocy is a web-based self-hosted groceries & household management solution for your home
Quick Overview
Crater is an open-source, self-hosted invoicing and expense tracking system for freelancers and small businesses. It provides a user-friendly interface for managing clients, creating invoices, tracking expenses, and generating financial reports.
Pros
- Self-hosted solution, giving users full control over their data
- Customizable invoice templates and multi-currency support
- Comprehensive financial reporting and expense tracking
- User-friendly interface with a modern design
Cons
- Requires technical knowledge for setup and maintenance
- Limited integrations with third-party services compared to some commercial alternatives
- May lack advanced features found in enterprise-level accounting software
- Community support might be slower compared to paid solutions
Getting Started
To get started with Crater, follow these steps:
-
Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/crater-invoice/crater.git
-
Navigate to the project directory:
cd crater
-
Install dependencies:
composer install npm install
-
Copy the example environment file:
cp .env.example .env
-
Generate an application key:
php artisan key:generate
-
Set up your database in the
.env
file and run migrations:php artisan migrate
-
Serve the application:
php artisan serve
Visit http://localhost:8000
in your browser to access Crater.
Competitor Comparisons
A source-available invoice, quote, project and time-tracking app built with Laravel
Pros of Invoice Ninja
- More extensive feature set, including advanced invoicing, client management, and payment integrations
- Larger and more active community, with frequent updates and contributions
- Better documentation and support resources
Cons of Invoice Ninja
- More complex codebase, potentially harder to customize or extend
- Heavier resource requirements due to its comprehensive feature set
- Steeper learning curve for new users and developers
Code Comparison
Invoice Ninja (Laravel-based):
public function index()
{
$data = $this->invoiceRepo->getDatatable(Auth::user()->account_id);
return $this->returnDatatable($data);
}
Crater (Vue.js-based):
async fetchInvoices({ commit, state }) {
const { data } = await invoiceAxios.get(`/api/v1/invoices`, {
params: state.invoiceFilters
})
commit('SET_INVOICES', data.invoices)
}
Both projects use modern frameworks, but Invoice Ninja's backend is primarily PHP/Laravel, while Crater focuses on a Vue.js frontend with a Laravel API. Invoice Ninja's codebase is more extensive, reflecting its broader feature set, while Crater's code is more focused on simplicity and ease of use.
Online Accounting Software
Pros of Akaunting
- More comprehensive feature set, including inventory management and project tracking
- Larger community and more frequent updates
- Multi-currency support out of the box
Cons of Akaunting
- Steeper learning curve due to more complex functionality
- Potentially overwhelming for small businesses with simpler needs
- Heavier resource usage, which may impact performance on lower-end servers
Code Comparison
Akaunting (Laravel-based routing):
Route::group(['middleware' => 'auth'], function () {
Route::get('invoices', 'InvoiceController@index');
Route::post('invoices', 'InvoiceController@store');
Route::get('invoices/{invoice}', 'InvoiceController@show');
});
Crater (Vue.js component structure):
<template>
<div class="invoice-list">
<invoice-table :invoices="invoices"></invoice-table>
</div>
</template>
<script>
export default {
// Component logic
}
</script>
Both projects use modern web technologies, but Akaunting follows a more traditional MVC structure with Laravel, while Crater leverages Vue.js for a more component-based approach. This difference in architecture may influence the choice depending on the development team's expertise and project requirements.
A self-hosted open source application for managing your invoices, clients and payments.
Pros of InvoicePlane
- More established project with a larger community and longer history
- Offers a wider range of features and customization options
- Supports multiple languages and currencies out of the box
Cons of InvoicePlane
- Older technology stack (CodeIgniter 3) compared to Crater's modern Laravel framework
- Less frequent updates and potentially slower development cycle
- User interface may feel less modern and intuitive compared to Crater
Code Comparison
InvoicePlane (PHP):
public function get_quote_total($quote_id)
{
$this->load->model('quotes/mdl_quote_items');
$this->load->model('quotes/mdl_quote_tax_rates');
$this->load->model('quotes/mdl_quote_amounts');
$quote_total = $this->mdl_quote_amounts->quote_amount_sum($quote_id);
return $quote_total->quote_total;
}
Crater (PHP):
public function getInvoiceTotal($invoice)
{
return $invoice->items->sum(function ($item) {
return $item->total;
}) + $invoice->tax;
}
The code comparison shows that Crater uses more modern PHP syntax and Laravel's collection methods, resulting in more concise and readable code compared to InvoicePlane's approach.
ERP beyond your fridge - Grocy is a web-based self-hosted groceries & household management solution for your home
Pros of grocy
- More comprehensive household management features (including meal planning, chores, and battery tracking)
- Larger and more active community with frequent updates and contributions
- Self-hosted solution offering greater privacy and control over data
Cons of grocy
- Steeper learning curve due to more complex features and options
- Less focus on invoicing and financial management compared to Crater
- May be overkill for users primarily seeking invoice management
Code comparison
Grocy (PHP):
public function getProductDetails(\Grocy\Objects\Product $product)
{
$stockCurrentRow = $this->getDatabase()->products_current_stock()->where('product_id = :1', $product->id)->fetch();
$stockAmount = $stockCurrentRow !== null ? $stockCurrentRow->amount : 0;
return ['stock_amount' => $stockAmount, 'last_purchased' => $product->last_purchased];
}
Crater (Laravel/PHP):
public function getInvoiceDetails(Invoice $invoice)
{
$items = $invoice->items()->with('taxes')->get();
$total = $items->sum('total');
return ['items' => $items, 'total' => $total, 'due_date' => $invoice->due_date];
}
Both projects use PHP, but Grocy focuses on inventory management while Crater emphasizes invoicing functionality. The code snippets reflect these different priorities in their respective domains.
Convert
designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual CopilotREADME

Introduction
Crater is an open-source web & mobile app that helps you track expenses, payments & create professional invoices & estimates.
Web Application is made using Laravel & VueJS while the Mobile Apps are built using React Native.
Table of Contents
Documentation
Download
Mobile Apps
Discord
Join the Crater discord server to discuss: Invite Link
Roadmap
~~Here's a rough roadmap of things to come (not in any specific order):
- Automatic Update
- Email Configuration
- Installation Wizard
- Address Customisation & Default notes
- Edit Email before Sending Invoice
- Available as a docker image
- Performance Improvements
- Customer View page
- Add and Use Custom Fields on Invoices & Estimates.
- Multiple Companies
- Recurring Invoices
- Customer Portal
- Accept Payments (Stripe Integration)
- White Labeling (Easy Invoice, Email & Consumer Portal Theme customisation)
- Modules API
- Blockchain Integration
- Web 3.0 Accounting
- Vendors & Bills
- Inventory Management
- Payment Reminders
- Improve Accessibility
- Debit & Credit Notes
- Time Tracking
- Full service Payroll
Copyright
© 2022 Crater Invoice, Inc.
Special thanks to:
Translate
Help us translate on https://crowdin.com/project/crater-invoice
Thanks to Translation Contributors:
- Hassan A. Ba Abdullah (Arabic)
- Clément de Louvencourt (French)
- Robin Delattre (French)
- René Loos (Dutch)
- Stefan AzariÄ (Serbian)
- Emmanuel Lampe (German)
- edevrob (Latvian)
License
Crater is released under the GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 3. See LICENSE for details.
Top Related Projects
A source-available invoice, quote, project and time-tracking app built with Laravel
Online Accounting Software
A self-hosted open source application for managing your invoices, clients and payments.
ERP beyond your fridge - Grocy is a web-based self-hosted groceries & household management solution for your home
Convert
designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual Copilot